System and method for generating a recommendation guide for use with an EPG

Abstract

A system and method for generating and displaying customized electronic programming (EPG) data is described. One exemplary method includes the steps of retrieving a plurality of category preferences associated with a user; retrieving a list of displayable program indicators for each of the plurality of category preferences, wherein each of the program indicators included in the list of displayable program indicators is associated with a start time; retrieving program data for each of the program indicators included in the list of displayable program indicators; and providing the retrieved program data for display.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for generating an electronic program listing recommendation guide, the method comprising: 
 receiving a request from a user to generate a recommendation guide;    retrieving category preferences associated with the user;    retrieving a list of restricted program indicators;    retrieving a list of preferred program indicators;    retrieving a list of recommended program indicators, the program indicators included in the list of recommended program indicators corresponding to at least one of the retrieved category preferences;    generating a list of displayable program indicators, wherein the list of displayable program indicators includes program indicators included in the list of preferred program indicators and program indicators included in the list of recommended program indicators but not included in the list of restricted program indicators; and    displaying program indicators included in the generated list of displayable program indicators, wherein the displayed program indicators are arranged according to the retrieved category preferences.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 transmitting the generated list of displayable program indicators to a set-top box associated with the user.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restricted program indicators correspond to program indicators included in the list of recommended program indicators.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the program indicators included in the list of preferred program indicators is not included in the list of recommended programs.  
     
     
         5 . A method for generating an electronic program listing recommendation guide, the method comprising: 
 retrieving a plurality of category preferences associated with a user;    retrieving a list of displayable program indicators for each of the plurality of category preferences, wherein each of the program indicators included in the list of displayable program indicators is associated with a start time;    retrieving program data for each of the program indicators included in the list of displayable program indicators; and    providing the retrieved program data for display.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 displaying the retrieved program data for a first program indicator included in the list of displayable program indicators, wherein the retrieved program data for the first program indicator is displayed in association with a first category included in the plurality of category preferences, wherein the first category corresponds with the first program indicator.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 displaying the retrieved program data for a second program indicator included in the list of displayable program indicators, wherein the retrieved program data for the second program indicator is displayed in association with a first category included in the plurality of category preferences, wherein the second category corresponds with the second program indicator.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 displaying the first program indicator and an indicator of the first category in a first column; and    displaying the second program indicator and an indicator of the second category in a second column.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 displaying the first program indicator and an indicator of the first category in a first row; and    displaying the second program indicator and an indicator of the second category in a second row.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the list of displayable program indicators comprises: 
 a list of recommended programs.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 receiving the list of recommended programs from a remote source.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 identifying a restricted program indicator, the restricted program indicator being selectable by the user;    wherein the list of displayable program indicators does not include the restricted program indicator.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 removing the restricted program indicator from the list of displayable programs.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 identifying a preferred program indicator, the preferred program indicator being selectable by the user,    wherein the list of displayable program indicators includes the preferred program indicator.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 adding the preferred program indicator to the list of displayable programs indicators.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 identifying a previously viewed program, the previously viewed program being associated with a target program indicator;    locating the target program indicator in the list of displayable program indicators; and    removing the target program indicator from the list of displayable program indicators.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 identifying a previously viewed program, the previously viewed program being associated with a target program indicator;    locating the target program indicator in the list of displayable program indicators; and    assigning a low display priority to the target program indicator included in list of displayable program indicators.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of category preferences are customizable by the user.  
     
     
         19 . A system for generating an electronic program listing recommendation guide, the system comprising: 
 means for retrieving a plurality of category preferences associated with a user;    means for retrieving a list of displayable program indicators for each of the plurality of category preferences, wherein each of the program indicators included in the list of displayable program indicators is associated with a start time;    means for retrieving program data for each of the program indicators included in the list of displayable program indicators; and    means for providing the retrieved program data for display.    
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the list of displayable program indicators comprises: 
 a list of recommended programs.    
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 means for receiving the list of recommended programs from a remote source.    
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 identifying a restricted program indicator, the restricted program indicator being selectable by the user;    wherein the list of displayable program indicators does not include the restricted program indicator.    
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 means for removing the restricted program indicator from the list of displayable programs.    
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 means for identifying a preferred program indicator, the preferred program indicator being selectable by the user;    wherein the list of displayable program indicators includes the preferred program indicator.    
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 means for adding the preferred program indicator to the list of displayable programs indicators.    
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 means for identifying a previously viewed program, the previously viewed program being associated with a target program indicator;    means for locating the target program indicator in the list of displayable program indicators; and    means for removing the target program indicator from the list of displayable program indicators.    
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 means for identifying a previously viewed program, the previously viewed program being associated with a target program indicator;    means for locating the target program indicator in the list of displayable program indicators; and    means for assigning a low display priority to the target program indicator included in list of displayable program indicators.